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The Whimsical Food Advent Calendars You’d Better Snag Now

From mini jams to classic chocolate, these are the treats you’ll want to buy now if you hope to indulge throughout December

by Amy McCarthy Updated

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Intricate house-shaped advent calendar with chocolates. Vosgs
Amy McCarthy is a reporter at Eater.com, focusing on pop culture, policy and labor, and only the weirdest online trends.

Sure, it’s only October, but if you want a really great advent calendar, you better buy it right now. The most popular sell out quickly, and waiting too long will leave you stuck with a lackluster drugstore option stuffed with waxy chocolates.

During the holiday season, most of us are so focused on buying gifts for other people that we don’t spend enough time treating ourselves. An advent calendar is an especially festive way to surprise yourself with something nice every single day in the month of December, and it’s even better when that treat is a tasty little snack.

Advent calendars have been around since the 19th century, but their popularity has exploded in recent years. With that popularity has come a dizzying array of new advent calendars, stuffed with so much more than just the little morsels of chocolate that many of us remember from our childhood.

star-shaped chocolate advent calendar.

La Maison du Chocolat Holiday Glow Advent Calendar

  • $95

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The advent calendar from this French chocolatier is visually stunning thanks to its 3-D, snowflake-shaped packaging that boasts an equally compelling assortment of treats within. Inside, you’ll find the brand’s beloved pralines, plus a slew of decadent bonbons and cute shaped chocolates.

coffee advent calendar.

Onyx Coffee

  • $175

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Got a coffee nerd in the house? Onyx Coffee’s cult-favorite advent calendar will allow them to sip 24 different coffees all December long, from holiday blends to Costa Rican black honey coffee and a staggering number of single-origin options. Each pouch contains enough coffee for a full pour-over brew, making this an ideal morning ritual for two until Christmas Day arrives.

The Discovery of Spices

  • $55

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Whether you’re just learning how to cook or consider yourself an expert in the kitchen, this spice-packed advent calendar from Williams Sonoma is a great way to bring a little variety to your dishes — and maybe find a new staple or two. Curated by Parisian spice purveyor Le Comptoir Colonial, this 24-day calendar includes top quality staples like crushed peppercorns alongside more fanciful flourishes, including saffron sea salt, a sweet Speculoos spice blend, and spicy green curry.

White holiday advent calendar on a mantle.

Bonne Maman advent calendar

  • $45

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This French jam company’s advent calendar is a perennial favorite, and for good reason. It’s reasonably priced, packed with 24 different flavors of jam and honey, including pineapple-ginger and lemon-yuzu, and you get to reuse all those adorably tiny jars all year long. 

12 Days of Murray’s Cheese

  • $78

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Instead of getting yet another chocolate-filled advent calendar, why not go for cheese? This 12-day calendar from beloved NYC cheese purveyor Murray’s is packed with cheddars, D.O.P. Parmigiano Reggiano, crackers, jams, and other cheeseboard accouterments. Enjoy a bite each day starting on December 12, then prepare a stunning Christmas Day spread with all the cheeses. 

Green advent calendar on mantle.

Palais des Thés Advent Calendar

  • $38

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, this 24-day advent calendar from Palais des Thes is packed with teas that will encourage you to take a moment and relax all December long. Inside the totally recyclable packaging, teas like Tahitian rooibos and genmaicha await, along with a ton of seasonally appropriate blends like Joyeux The, a maple-and-lemon infused oolong.

Intricate house-shaped advent calendar with chocolates.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat Calendar of Advent

  • $325

Prices taken at time of publishing.

For the serious advent calendar enthusiast, this offering from Vosges is an ideal holiday splurge. The calendar itself is a whimsical recreation of a Nordic chalet, complete with twinkling lights and refillable drawers that can be used year after year. Inside those drawers, find 24 different chocolates, cookies, and other treats, along with a 25th that’s “overflowing” with goodies to share on Christmas Day. 

Long cardboard advent calendar with 12 boxes.

Winter in Sichuan Advent Calendar

  • $88

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Not really a fan of sweets? This collection from Fly By Jing includes 12 different savory sauces, spices, and other pantry staples, including new offerings developed by founder Jing Gao in Chengdu. You can likely expect the brand’s famed chili crisp, along with hard-to-find spices and other treats, all of which are packed in 2-ounce jars that are perfect if you’re going to be flying home during the holidays and need something to spice up your mother-in-law’s cooking.

12 days of cocktails

  • $53

Prices taken at time of publishing.

New Orleans-based Cocktail & Sons is known for its unique and deeply flavored cocktail syrups and mixers, and this advent calendar will help you sip festive cocktails for the full 12 days of Christmas. The calendar is packed with 12 syrups in flavors like sugar cookie, spiced Korean melon, and bananas Foster, plus a recipe book full of ideas for both cocktails and mocktails perfect for the season.

Compartes gourmet chocolate advent calendar

  • $110

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Los Angeles chocolatier Compartes’s advent calendar is both indulgent and visually stunning. This year’s calendar, inspired by an “enchanting magical holiday night under the northern lights,” boasts beautifully decorated seasonal bonbons in flavors like apple pie, maple-walnut, and cookie butter. 

Green boxy advent calendar.

Bokksu Japan Wonderland advent calendar

  • $200

Prices taken at time of publishing.

At $179, Japanese market Bokksu’s advent calendar is definitely on the splurge side, but it’s also packed with 41 different snacks, cakes, and cute trinkets, all imported from Japan, to open throughout the month of December. 

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